How much to run the CRL? Wayne Brown says $400m, Auckland Transport disagrees

Thursday, 18 September 2025

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown (right) and deputy mayor Desley Simpson with Finance Minister Nicola Willis (left) on the CRL.

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Speaking to a business crowd in Hobsonville, Auckland mayor Wayne Brown claimed the City Rail Link was expected to cost $400 million a year to run.

“Over $1 million a day,” he said.

This eye-watering cost would be split between Auckland Council and the Government - $200m a year each.

But Auckland Transport has contested this figure after inquiries by The Post.

Auckland Transport group manager of rail services, Mark Lambert, said the CRL is actually expected to cost the council about $26m to operate in its first year because, like most public transport around the world, fares wouldn’t cover the cost.

Lambert then said the estimated cost to run Auckland’s entire (this was written in bold in his statement) metro network next year was $269m.

Then after accounting for fare revenue, rental income, and advertising the net expenditure amounted to $224m, though this did not take into account interest and depreciation.

Running the CRL will have a knock-on effect to the cost of operating Auckland’s rail network. It will increase the annual operating costs by approximately $63m, which includes additional expenses for operations, network access, and maintenance.

“After factoring in projected income from increases in patronage and fare revenue, rental spaces, and advertising, the estimated net cost is about $53 million. Once NZTA’s share is removed, Auckland Council will be responsible for around $26 million annually,” said Lambert.

The Post asked Brown’s office if he had anything to add about his $400m operating cost claim.

His office responded: “The cost Mayor Brown referred to relates to the operating expenditure to run the CRL metro network as well as interest and depreciation.

Auckland Transport group manager of rail services, Mark Lambert, says the CRL is expected to cost $26m in its first year.

“Mayor Brown was illustrating how projects like the CRL, while important, are expensive to fund and operate.”

The CRL is expected to open next year, but a final date is yet to be set - Brown said he suspected it would be later in the year.

Brown told the Hobsonville crowd this month that was because there was still a lot of work to do in and around every train driver needing to go through the CRL loop four times for training.

Lambert said the collective focus of Auckland Transport, City Rail Link Ltd and KiwiRail was to ensure safe, reliable train services.

“That includes the testing and commissioning of systems, integration with existing network, the Rail Network Rebuild and other infrastructure upgrades, training of drivers and additional operational staff, emergency preparedness and testing the new timetable.

“It all needs to be co-ordinated to gain regulatory and rail compliance. International experience shows us this can be the most challenging and complex phase of a rail project. The further we get through that programme of work the more certainty we will have on opening timeframes next year.”

Once open, the project would improve the network and allow Auckland Transport to increase the frequency of trains across the city and improve public transport options, said Lambert.

“These better train services will offer an attractive alternative to driving and ease pressure on our roads and motorways.

“The CRL will boost access to housing and jobs, enabling future development that will revitalise the areas around each station.”

An earlier version of this story said the CRL would cost $26m a year which would be split between Auckland Council and the government. This figure is just the council’s share.